She was so close her sweet perfume tickled my nose. It was something citrusy, like tangerines mixed with peaches.
“We have to be at work early.” Ethan’s chair scraped the wooden floor as he pushed back and stood up. I glanced at him as he tossed cash onto the table—more than enough to cover his beers. With a nod, he walked toward the door.
Bayden downed the rest of his beer, thumped the mug on the tabletop, and rose. “I need to get home and grab a shower. I’ve got a hot date tonight.”
“Yeah, with your right hand.” Quinn’s teasing earned him a sharp glare.
Bayden paid his portion and left a tip before heading for the door right on Ethan’s heels.
Quinn flashed me a salute. “I just remembered, I have plans tonight.” He laid a few bills on the table while his gaze slid side to side like the eyes on the Kit-Cat clock. “Have a good one.”
Without another word, or giving me a chance to say anything, he all but ran for the door, leaving me alone.
I turned in time to see Kandra stop in front of me. She inhaled, inflating her ribs—no doubt to make me notice her assets, which were still nice, but I wasn’t going to get sucked into her games ever again.
Standing there, she gripped the tray so tightly her fingers blanched. Her lips curved into a smile that trembled at the corners.
“They sure scattered in a hurry.” Her voice wobbled at first, but quickly gained confidence. “Like mice running from a cat.”
The attempt at humor fell flat, and I didn’t respond. What was there to say? Yeah, my brothers took off and left me because they didn’t know what really happened between us when we dated. They didn’t know the truth, and they thought there was some chance we’d get back together. They couldn’t be more wrong.
She shifted her weight and set a beer in front of me but looked at the three still on her tray. “Want me to take these back?”
I lifted a shoulder. I didn’t give a damn what she did. I considered drinking all four. If I overdid it, I’d have to have someone drive me home. My brothers would gladly pick me up at home in the morning and drop me at my truck.
She seemed unsure and shifted her weight back to her left side. Her tongue slid across her lower lip, and I glanced away. Why was she trying to make small talk? We weren’t friends, and I didn’t want to engage with her. Hell, I’d have been happy if she never came back to Cross Creek in the first place.
Now I’d have another constant reminder of our failed relationship. I picked up my beer and took a drink, looking into the glass instead of at her.
“I’ll just leave them.” She set the drinks down and tucked the tray under her arm. “So, how have you been?”
I stared up at her. Why would she even ask me that?
Her eyes widened. Then she glanced over her shoulder at Roy. Quickly, as if worried she would change her mind, she sat down. Stiff as a board, and clearly uncomfortable, she said, “I’m sorry. Look, I’m having a rough day. I didn’t think I’d ever come back, and I certainly never thought I’d work in a bar, but here I am.” She spread her hands and let out a chuckle that held no humor. “I never imagined this was how we’d bump into one another, but this is my life, and I’m trying to make the best of it. Can we call a truce?”
She thrust a hand in my direction, and I studied her, considering her words.
Her brave smile wavered as the seconds ticked by, but I didn’t take her hand. She lowered it a fraction of an inch as her eyes misted over.
I might not have shaken her hand, but I swallowed hard. “The beers are paid for, so it’s fine if you leave them. Can you add garlic knots to my order?” Internally, I heard my mother’s admonishing tone and added, “Please.”
Relief flooded her features, but her shoulders drooped. “Garlic knots.” As she said the words like she was committing them to memory, she recoiled. “Be back with those in a few minutes.” With that, she walked away.
“So, are you two … you know?” Benji’s voice hit my ears before he arrived at the table. “Are you going to rekindle the old flame?” His eyes ate up Kandra like she was a snack.
I wanted to hit him. Why she put up with him back in high school was a mystery, and why she dealt with him now blew my mind.
“Keep walking,” I snarled.
I never liked Benji. He put me on edge, and the way he demanded interviews of new people in town and put their stories in the paper always had a predatory feel. He had the first say, and that gave others their initial impression, which didn’t seem fair. Shouldn’t people be judged on their own merit?
Benji held both hands, palms up, to his shoulders in a classic sign of surrender. “Sorry. I’m going.” He walked off, fixing the cuffs of his blazer. The guy dressed like a college professor on a budget, with his garish sports jackets and button-down shirts in hues of lavender and sky blue. His brown leather shoes only added to the dull old man look, though the guy was a couple of years younger than me. His outfits never ceased to hurt my eyes.
I watched him go, taking a long swig of my beer. When he hugged Kandra earlier, she had not been into it, but the douche hadn’t read the signals that were clear as day. Benji settled down in a chair beside Miranda, most likely trying to strong-arm her for an interview. She gave him an unreadable glance, but I knew the sheriff could handle herself.
A thought flowed into the edges of my mind. What if Benji asked Kandra for a story? Everyone knew the girl who’d left as a photographer with a dream and wound up becoming a beautiful model living the high life in the fast lane.
I heard rumors that she had gotten engaged to the guy who was her agent. It wasn’t a scandal, but it rubbed me the wrong way. Not because I gave a damn that she got engaged, but because her agent should have been impartial. It was his job to protect her and look after her best interests. He had power over her entire career and shouldn’t have been emotionally or physically involved with her.
Why am I thinking about this? Kandra, her agent, her engagement, or whatever happened between them, meant absolutely nothing to me. And I certainly didn’t care about her and Benji. She wasn’t my woman, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to come between her and anyone else in her life. She might be back, but we weren’t back to the people we were before she left.
I took another drink and noticed Miranda get out of her seat and head for the door. She and Roy eyed each other, and he gave her a slight nod. She scanned my table, and I’d swear there was a hint of disappointment in her expression before she left Benji sitting there alone and talking at her retreating back.
“Here you go.” Kandra approached and placed the steaming garlic knots before me and exhaled.
I stared at her, confused. Was she holding her breath?
“Enjoy.” She turned to go, but I grabbed her wrist without thinking. The second my skin met hers, something crackled between us like a static charge before a lightning strike. I let her go as if she burned me, but she turned to face me with wide eyes.
“We need to talk,” I said.
Her delicate throat shifted as she swallowed. She looked over her shoulder at Roy, then dropped into the seat beside me.
Across the room, Benji watched us.
“Right now?” Her low voice strained like she was holding back her emotions. The defeated set of her shoulders made me wonder if she knew what I wanted to talk about.